Rattus rattus

Black Rat at GG47

Rattus rattus at GG47 - 26 Mar 2024 08:18 AM
Rattus rattus at GG47 - 26 Mar 2024 08:18 AM
Rattus rattus at GG47 - 26 Mar 2024 08:18 AM
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Identification history

Rattus rattus 27 Mar 2024 DonFletcher
Rattus rattus 26 Mar 2024 CarbonAI
Unidentified 26 Mar 2024 Ct1000

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User's notes

I believe I have previously photographed this individual with a full tail... It was nesting in hollow log nest was made of a pile of grass... I have been assuming it's a brown rat but had limited angles to emphasise the distinguishing features. These images were taken with the animal up a gum tree of some kind. In a Grove of various native trees.

2 comments

DonFletcher wrote:
   27 Mar 2024
Only 3 rattus in area.
Short tail is indicative of R. fuscipes (bush rat) BUT tail may be missing a piece or not visible in images; Also Bush Rat hardly ever climbs and no longer occurs in urban area.
R norvegicus (Sewer Rat) is locally rare and doesn't climb much.
Long ears look like R.rattus (Black/Roof Rat) which climbs trees readily to forage for bird nests, fruit etc. SO R.rattus.
Ct1000 wrote:
   27 Mar 2024
Ah thanks you for the information Don! I wasn't aware bushrats rarely climb trees and was unsure if there were any extant populations in Canberra. It's definitely missing a section of tail. I'd previously decided it was a black or brown rat not a bush rat because the tail was significantly longer than the body. It's very helpful to know that we only get r.rattus here too.

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Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • Alive / healthy Animal health

Species information

  • Rattus rattus Scientific name
  • Black Rat Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Exotic
  • Non-invasive or negligible
  • Up to 1019.83m Recorded at altitude
  • 116 images trained Machine learning
  • External link More information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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